Joe Kessler is an original The Boys character given a significant revamp in the series. Jeffery Dean Morgan plays the character.
Billy runs into Joe Kessler at the CIA headquarters while MM is briefing Grace and Senator Bob about their mission.
Joe and Billy reminisce about old missions that they worked together on and Billy is told that people like him are needed to stave off the supe threat.
Anything for the greater good
When Billy plans to kidnap Ryan, he gets some military-grade drugs from Joe to knock the boy out.
Billy has a change of heart and chooses to let Ryan go, but Joe criticizes his decision. He is keen on training Ryan to go against Homelander when the time comes.
Billy says that Ryan is just a boy and cannot be treated like an asset but Joe insists that they have no other choice, and he would train his son if the mission called for it.
Joe’s hatred for supes rivals Billy’s and he is ready to sacrifice everything to make sure they do not get out of hand.
A huge departure from the comics
Howard “Monkey” Kessler is a pathetic character who is constantly put down by Billy Butcher in the comics.
His nickname comes from the time he was sexually assaulted in both ears by two of Doctor Peculiar’s “AIDS monkeys”.
Howard is selected as Susan Rayner’s successor as the director of the CIA after she plans to go into politics.
Since he hates Billy, he undermines the efforts of the Boys while he’s in charge until Billy blackmails him with knowledge of his wheelchair fetish.
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